Well Shabazz is a natural SG and thats getting harder to find in the NBA as everyone wants to be combo guards these days. So if Shabazz is worth taking a look at why is his draft stock falling in a what is called a weak draft? This draft doesn't excite me much but the one player that would really blow my skirt up is Ben McLemore, he will be the best player out of this draft. Victor Oladipo will be very solid as well but McLemore will be a stud.
My daughters would be so stoked if the Blazers drafted McLemore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0
There are two different questions: 1. Who should go at the #10 pick in the draft? and 2. What player in this draft would you like the Blazers to end up with? The reason why they're different is (of course) because there might be a player there that a lot of other teams want but we don't that we could leverage for more picks lower down (like, say we drafted Saric and traded him to Atlanta for their #17 and #18. They get even more cap space (especially if he doesn't come over) and we can take two players like (maybe) Gorgui Dieng and (almost certainly) Franklin/Crabbe/Larkin. I want Dieng, Schröder, and Crabbe, but #10 is probably a bit high for all of them. Of them all, I want Dieng the most, although he's more likely than Schröder to be available with a lower pick. The answer to Q1 would then depend on what player is most valued by other GMs, something that (a) we don't know, and (b) will probably change a lot in the coming weeks.
So basically you're calling Olshey a liar (he insisted that he would draft BPA regardless of "fit")? Besides which: we definitely DO need a PG (Nolan's gone and isn't Maynor a FA? and with both of them, Lillard was still playing too many minutes).
Agreed. My guess would be that this draft is deepest in Cs, of which he is among the smaller and older ones. Even if you think he's right there with people like Len, Gobert and Adams, if you push them ahead of him then he drops several picks to the next team that needs a C. Also, Givony is going round and watching all the team workouts, and my guess is Dieng would look pretty ordinary in those settings, while Givony creams his jeans over Adams hitting jump shots. There might also be a little "we've seen so much of him he's not a tantalizing mystery" effect. I think us public tend to overvalue players that made it into the final four, and almost as a reaction scouts act like hipsters and are scornful of the guy that everyone knows in favor of their cult fave whom only they and a few other scouts have seen much of. One more reason: what Dieng is strong in is unquantifiable. He's a leader and he coordinates the defense. He makes me think of a goalie in "soccer" ordering his defenders around. The best goalie isn't necessarily the one who makes spectacular saves but the one who is in the right place to stop such saves ever being necessary.
1. this has been done to death in at least two other threads. 2. Why would you want McLemore AND Waiters?
You can never have too many undersized combo guards. I'm starting to warm on Pope. I know his handle is weak, but loved watching some of his defensive clips. Reminded me a bit of MKG where he moves his feet very quickly and is always right in front of his man--leading to a terrible shot or a turnover. Love his dribble stop and pop too. Looks very consistent. Slashing is clearly his one weakness.
If the Blazers don't make a play for #1 to take McLemore though it's probably going to be like "Well we could have had that guy" again.:MARIS61:
Olshey will take the BPA if he's in a higher Tier. Within a Tier, he'll pick based on need. We won't be addressing all of our team needs with pick #10, just hoping to get a rotation player.
I think I am on the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope bandwagon now. He sure has deep range. Check this video out starting at about the 3 minute mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uWJ-1QS4To [video=youtube;5uWJ-1QS4To]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uWJ-1QS4To[/video]
Ok, I voted zeller, but I want to change it to Adams. I just spent a while watching clips of Adams and wow, he had that strength, size and mobility that a good center needs, and appears to also have a good motor. The more I watched him, zeller, Dieng and Olynyk the better Adams looks to me. Kind of reminders me of chandler from a couple seasons ago. I'm all in.
Just one man's opinion: http://www.celticsblog.com/2013/6/4...ieng-withey-olynyk-gobert-adams-13/in/4139529 Analysis: I'm really not as high on Steven Adams as most people are. Sure, he has the body...but what else? He has absolutely no fundamentals on offense or defense and has a long way to go to be a part of an NBA rotation. Right now he is nothing but potential...yet has he even proven that he has high upside? Offensively, he has stone hands and has hard time catching some passes, making him a liability on that end. That won't change. He has all the physical tools to be a great defensive player yet he lacks any understanding of team defense, is indecisive in the pick-and-roll, and doesn't box out when rebounding. He's just far too undeveloped right now for me to rank him any higher. The only reason he gets this ranking is because he has a true NBA body at only 19 years old.
I was on the Shabazz bandwagon but after reviewing the scouting tape I think Pope is better. Shabazz is only better at driving into the lane. Pope has much more range, a better handle, a much nicer shot (not that this matters much as long as it goes in) and is better on D.
